Tasks (Pledges)
The tasks of a pledge express the expectations of one or both parties to the pledge. In short, the task details what the sworn must or must not do. Alliance Establishing an alliance is a common use of pledges. Such pledges outline the level of support the oathbound expect from one another, with rewards and punishment appropriate to the aid provided. In many ways, alliance tasks are combined ban and endeavor tasks, both requiring and forbidding certain actions. Alliance tasks are two-way affairs; that is, all the oathtakers swear to adhere to that level of alliance with regard to one another. Pledges in which one side takes an oath to not harm the other involve ban tasks, or endeavor tasks, in which one party pledges to defend another. Lesser A minor alliance is also referred to as a "peace pact." It is not actually an agreement to aid one another; it is simply a pledge to not hinder one another. The oathbound are not required to go to one another's assistance, or to prevent others from harming the other, or even tell them when they know of plans by a third party to do so. A minor alliance is a simple agreement to not hinder one another, nothing more. Thus, minor alliance tasks are considered to contribute a numerical value of (+0) when determining the balance of the pledge -- they almost never have a boon associated with them. (+0). Medial A moderate alliance is likely the most typical kind of alliance. The oathbound are expected to help one another when necessary, whether that aid takes the form of sanctuary, food, money or similar offers of assistance. Oathtakers of a moderate alliance should be willing to be hurt to aid their ally, or to hurt others, but death (either inflicting or being killed oneself) is too much to expect of this oath. (-2). Greater The deepest of alliances, the greater alliance is a pledge to aid one another unto even torture and death. No force should make the oathbound of a greater alliance violate their oaths, including death (though in reality, many epic betrayals of the greater alliance have come about as a result of death threats, often to loved ones). The oathbound are expected to treat one another as closer than kin, giving of their resources and assistance freely -- although those who abuse this often become social pariahs. (-3). Dreaming The dreaming task permits the changeling who swears it to enter into the dreams of the other oathtaker. Each pledge allows him to guard his dreams, while a motley pledge might include the dreaming task, allowing them to safeguard one another's sleep. Likewise, a knightly oath to a lord may incorporate the dreaming task into a fealty task -- in such a case, the vassal can enter the dreams of the lord. Medial (-2). Endeavour Endeavor tasks are active requirements of the pledge. A pledge to perform some specific action involves the use of the endeavor task in pledge-crafting. There are three tiers of endeavors. Lesser A lesser endeavor is rarely difficult to accomplish. It consists of either frequently doing something that requires hardly any time or effort at all or the performance of a single task that makes slight demands on the one so bound. Some lesser endeavors involve keeping a patch of flowers in one's yard clear of dandelion blooms or carrying a package from one part of town to another and delivering it to someone there. (-1). Medial Medial endeavors take some effort to accomplish. They consist of some kind of constant activity that requires a small sacrifice of time or resources to accomplish or the performance of a difficult task (or one which may result in harm). Some medial endeavors include keeping an item safely hidden, doing some manner of tedious chore on a daily basis or carrying something either through dangerous terrain or to another city or geographic region. (-2). Greater A greater endeavor can be quite epic in its requirements to accomplish. Such endeavors consist of an activity that can only be accomplished through significant attention and effort, or a single task of tremendous difficulty (or one that may result in death). Some greater endeavors include time-consuming and dangerous chores such as regular guard duty or traveling to other continents to deliver something. (-3). Ensorcellment The ensorcellment task may only be performed for a mortal. The changeling infuses the mortal with Glamour, lacing his soul with the weaves of Wyrd that allow him to see the world of the fae. Seemings become apparent to him, and the things of Glamour and Wyrd that changelings live with every day leap into full immediate apparency. Ensorcellment is both a task (for the changeling) and a boon (for the mortal); other tasks and boons may be paired with ensorcellment as part of pledge-crafting, but granting ensorcellment without it acting as both task and boon is impossible. When a pledge with this task takes effect, the changeling must expend one point of Glamour, in addition to any other costs associated with sealing the pledge. This expenditure actually invests the Glamour into the mortal. It remains there for as long as the pledge that ensorcells the mortal lasts. The changeling who ensorcelled the mortal may, at any time, reclaim the point of Glamour by touch. Doing so dispels the ensorcellment, however, and constitutes the violation of the pledge that ensorcells him. Medial (–2). Fealty The fealty pledge is a powerful and unique pledge task. Only an oath involving an acknowledged lord of a freehold may incorporate the fealty task. In this, the lord binds the one taking the oath to obey the laws of the freehold and to work according to his talents and abilities to defend the freehold in all ways. Any pledge that incorporates fealty always includes the vassalage boon and the banishment sanction. In addition, the fealty task is a task for both liege and vassal. When the lord of a freehold first participates in a fealty-tasked pledge, he must invest a dot of Willpower (though he may pay eight experience points to regain the dot). After that point, any further pledges that incorporate the fealty task are considered "invested" into this same initial expenditure, allowing the lord of the freehold to take part in many more oaths than he normally might as part of his duties. Should the lord voluntarily step down from his position, however, he recovers the dot of Willpower (or regains the eight experience points) thus invested. This is not the case if he is overthrown, however, or otherwise forced from power. This must be done as part of a ceremony where at least half of his vassals are present. Though most fealty pledges simply incorporate fealty, vassalage and banishment, some lords incorporate other pledge aspects into the oaths they demand of their vassals. Occasionally, these are universal addenda, such as the paranoid tyrant who adds the vulnerability sanction to those who betray their oaths of fealty or the civic-minded freehold that incorporates an endeavor task to spend one day of the week working to improve the lot of the homeless. More often, though, these are technically other oaths folded into the investment of the fealty pledge -- for instance, a liege may maintain a standard fealty pledge, but use a different one for those who swear to act as part of his bodyguard, incorporating additional tasks and commensurate boons and sanctions. Greater (-3). Forbiddance The forbiddance task outlines what the oathbound are forbidden from doing, lest they become oathbreaker. Sometimes referred to as a "ban task," the forbiddance is used in situations to prevent actions or situations from being brought about by one or both of the parties involved in the pledge. Lesser A lesser forbiddance prevents the oathbound from performing some action that is simply avoided. Situations in which the opportunity to perform the action come up only rarely, and there is no difficulty in not taking that action. Agreeing to avoid entering a certain building, not consuming a certain specific food or drink or avoiding using a specific name or phrase are all examples of lesser forbiddances. (-1). Medial The actions censured by a medial forbiddance are somewhat more difficult to avoid, whether because they are more common or because the oathbound is likely to desire to perform that action. Situations in which the opportunity to perform the action come up more often, and it may serve as some inconvenience to avoid that action. Never entering a particular neighborhood or using the subway, not eating a specific category of food (such as beef, wheat or citrus) or not speaking to a specific type of person (such as policemen) or about a specific topic (such as sports) are all examples of medial forbiddances. (-2). Greater Greater forbiddances are truly dire, and invariably change the way an oathsworn lives her life. Situations in which the opportunity to perform the action come up frequently, and it is quite difficult to avoid taking that action. Being banished from a city or geographical region, never again touching fruit or meat and oaths of silence and chastity are all greater forbiddances. (-3).